Harry Potter and Stuff During Sixth Year
by Ganya Malfoyevitch
Summary: Not a romance/action/adventure/Snape story 'till later on. Real Elves come to Hogwarts! The Slytherins and Snape are multi-faceted! Err...stuff!
1. The Princess and The Puck

I am a biter. Don't sue my unoriginal ass.

Welcome to my revised edition of "Sixth Year!"

Please R/R 3

Chapter Uno * * *

"Ugh! Why do we have to do things the human way? We could have been at Hogfarts..."

"Puck!", Lothlorien interrupted, "How many times have I got to tell you that it is important we learn other forms of magic...no matter how inefficient they are! There's no telling what might happen these days. Now be patient, we're almost there." 

Lothlorien Undomiel Gamgee was the sixteen-year-old Elv princess of the Rivendell. Her world at home was falling apart. Elves and other naturally magical peoples and creatures were being robbed of their power. 

No one rightly knew who or what was doing it or how, and Lothlorien had been studying witchcraft as a backup incase her natural magic was "stolen." She was extremely cautious and wanted to set an example for the people of Rivendell who shared Puck's opinion of human witchcraft and wizardry. (Which is obviously not a good one.) 

Kepuck Galindrel, Puck, for short, was a troublemaker who was constantly in for it with Lothlorien's parents, Lady Arwreniel Undomiel and Peregrim Gamgee, queen and king of Rivendell. 

All inhabitants of Rivendell were restricted from leaving but Puck was always out and about, constantly interfering with the lives of humans by playing cruel tricks on them. He caused a great ruckus in the human world that had Peregrim fuming. 

Five times had the king confined Puck to the palace dungeon, five times had he escaped, and five times had bounty hunters captured him and brought him back. On his sixth escape and capture, Peregrim had Puck fastened to his arm by a leash of enchanted chains, but Lothlorien freed him while her father was sleeping. 

The only reason Peregrim had not done away with Puck was because Lothlorien absolutely forbade it. He figured there had to be some important reason why she liked Puck so much and allowed him to live. After the enchanted chain ordeal, Lothlorien and Puck set out for Hogwarts. (Peregrim gave Lothlorien permission to leave, but he told her her idea would never catch on. The fugitive Puck part was a different story.)

"Puck, will you stop throwing things at people and study!!" Lothlorien said irritated

"NO." Puck replied. He was restless during the entire ride.

* * *

Harry Potter was starting his sixth year at Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry after a great summer at the Burrow- his best friend, Ron Weasley's house. During the summer they went to Qudditch games and helped Fred and George, Ron's older twin brothers, with their new product line "Weasley's Wizard Wheezies" They even did muggle things like go to the movies and theme parks.

"Finally we get to see the sorting ceremony and eat at the great feast together, peacefully. It'll be the first time in...how long has it been?" Ron asked. 

"I don't know. I'm just glad things are finally going to be normal around here." said Harry. They entered the Great Hall and the enchanted ceiling reflected a clear, placid blue sky. 

"That's a first!" Ron exclaimed. Harry, Ron and Hermione sat at the Gryffindor table and peeked around. 

"I wonder who will be the defense against the dark arts teacher this year." said Hermione. 

"It'd be nice to have Professor Lockhart back..." 

"Oh! Please, shut up now!" Ron barked. Harry made a disgusted face. 

"Here come the first years!" Seamus Finnigan shouted. Professor McGonagall led the smiling first years up the hall to the stool on which the sorting hat was placed. 

"The sorting ceremony begins!" shouted Professor Dumbledore. 

The sorting hat sang its corny little song and the cheerful, young first years took turns wearing the hat in alphabetical order. When the last three students were yet to be sorted and Gryffindor had five new house members, the thunderbolt hit Harry -- through the doors came the strangest looking (yet oddly beautiful) girl he had ever seen. She had striking blue eyes that shone through her straight, long, black hair and she had a distinct regal bearing. She wore the black Hogwarts robes and a diamond nose ring. She was just about five feet tall. Harry watched while Professor McGonagall went to meet her and proceeded to lead her to the sorting hat. 

( Of the last three kids that were sorted, one went to Slytherin and the other two, Hufflepuff. ) Everyone watched silently as the sorting hat was placed on the strange girl's head. 

Minutes went by and the sorting hat was mumbling to itself. After about fifteen minutes the hat said "Gryffindor", and Professor Dumbledore got up and shouted "Let the feast begin!" and the students immediately began to eat and make noise.

After the feast, Professor McGonagall handed out the course schedules. "Well, dear, it seems you're to be with the sixth years. Oh, and as you requested, you've been given your own room." she said, as she handed Lothlorien her schedule.

Shortly afterward, the students were sent up to their houses. When the prefect opened the portal with the password "bed knobs and broomsticks", Lothlorien went straight up to her room which was furnished in the Elven style.

"Ahhhhh." Lothlorien said, after she threw herself on her new and very comfortable bed. She stared at the ceiling and thought. Just as she was about to fall asleep, Puck burst in. 

"HEY!" he shouted. Lothlorien leapt up startled. "You should've been in the common room with the rest of the kids! It was great! There was this genius of a lad after m' own heart! He was feeding these wee orange salamanders enchanted fireworks and they were flying around the room with little sparks flyin' outta their mouths! It was great! I think his name was Weasley 'er somethin'. Hey!....." 

"UGH!" Lothlorien beamed a pillow at him. "Couldn't you see I was sleeping? You better not have let anybody see you!" She scolded loudly. They spoke in the _Quenya_ Elvish language. 

"Gees, Lolo, I was just watching! Can't I at least do that?" Puck asked. 

"Hmph! Next thing you know you'll be "watching" here and there and then playing pranks here and there and then traumatizing people HERE AND THERE and Dumbledore'll have to get rid of you, and back to Rivendell you'll go! Next time Papa sees you I'm sure he'll kill you. You can only push people so far! So NO getting out of hand! We don't need the Woodhall guards hearing of 'Puck Sightings.' Can't you just go a few months without playing a prank?" Lothlorien asked. 

"No, I can not stay cooped up, hidden from the world for 10 months and not goof around. What are you trying to do to me? It's enough that I have to be invisible most of the day and you just want to stop me from having fun! HA! You think you're so perfect! You want to goof around as much as I do deep inside! You might have stronger will power than I do but you still have the WILL! You.....OUCH!" 

Lothlorien clogged him on the head. 

"That was uncalled for! You're a freak! You're like Jekyll and Hyde! You got half your mother's brain and half your crabby father's! One second you're sweet and the next....." 

"SHUT UP AND GO TO BED!" Lothlorien interrupted. Puck made faces at her behind her back and mumbled himself to sleep. Believe it or not, they were best friends.

* * *


	2. Professor Trelwaney the Fraud

I'm happy with my biting. 

Shout to Purin Puff and my evil chem teacher for Snape related thingies.

Thank you for reading thus far. 

Enjoy...

Chapter Zwei * * *

When Harry and Ron went downstairs for breakfast, Hermione was already there, reading a book as usual. 

"Mornin' Hermione," said Harry. 

"Hey, Herms," said Ron. 

"Good morning." she replied. "Did you know in the year 39, crazy old Caligula invented an enchanted taffy that glued people's mouths shut for a year! He used to leave them lying around the senate house so the senators whom he hated to hear would eat them." 

"I didn't even know he was a wizard," said Harry. 

"Tarry taffy already exists? Damn, that was what Fred and George were just working on! Why don't they sell 'em in Hogsmeade.....or anywhere else for that matter?" Ron asked. 

"I'd love to slip Snape one of those! We have to endure double potions twice a week this year! Today and on Friday. I liked last year's schedule," Harry sighed. 

"I can't stand that damn guy. '_Though you fail constantly, I am shocked and appalled that you failed that last test which was just as obscure and off topic as the one before it! You mean to tell me that you can kill 67,894 people with just a tenth of Acromantula venom, Weasley? You all are in fifth year and you still don't know your basic math! That's what your problem is! Blah blah blah_,'" Ron said, imitating an annoyed, spitting Snape.

"Maybe if you would add an extra course to your schedule you wouldn't have so much Snape," Hermione said, her eyes still glued to her book. 

"Oh, stop trying to get us to take Arithmancy already! And check your schedule again. I'd wager you have just as much Snape as we do, anyhow. You think he'd allow anyone the joy of not having to look at his ugly mug for two hours, when he can arrange it so that we all suffer? HA!" Ron said. 

Hermione took out her schedule and examined it closely. 

"What? But I didn't see this yesterday! Aww...These are the kind of surprises I don't like." Hermione said sadly. 

"Told you so." said Ron. "Well, we better be off to class." 

Classes during sixth year, Harry found, were no joke: Professor Binns was extra, extra boring in history, Professor McGonagall was extra ,extra touchy in Transfiguration, and something was amiss about Care of Magical Creatures. The creature, a Deku scrub, was kind of cute and not too dangerous. ( It did shoot a deku nut at Malfoy's head, but he deserved a pelting. ) 

Sixth year students were allowed to wear robes in colors other than black and the schedule ran differently as well. No longer did entire houses go to a class together: Everybody was split up. 

So far Hermione wasn't in any of Harry's classes and Ron was in all but Transfiguration .Unfortunately Malfoy seemed to be everywhere. Harry figured they were split up according to skill. He was on his way up to Divination, the last class before lunch. 

"Finally, a break!" Ron said, smiling. "Didn't classes seem unusually difficult to you, Harry? Boy, am I gonna get it from Hermione when she finds out I'm in remedial Transfiguration!" 

"Remedial Transfiguration? Aww, Ron that's too b... " Harry stopped. 

"What?" Ron asked. Harry had spotted the girl he had seen the day before, during the feast. He was wondering when he'd see her again. 

"Come on, Har', let's go! We got half a minute to get up to Professor Trelawney's funky tower!" Ron said. They raced up the stairs and made it to Divination just in time.

Harry thought the room smelled stronger than usual. The incense was making his eyes teary and his throat scratchy. 

"Oh, God, we should've listened to Hermione! Nothing's worth this horrible stench!" he exclaimed. 

Then the anticipated rustling of beads caught everyone's attention. Professor Trelawney's entry was ridiculously dramatic. She seemed to have twice as many beads on than she had the last time Harry saw her. 

She floated in like a wounded bird struggling to make a smooth landing and then she threw herself on a pile of pillows with her hand covering her face. 

"My children, during the summer I witnessed a horrible revelation! I had a vision in which the spirits told me that Armageddon is upon us and then I checked my tarot cards and..." 

"OK, I've heard enough today." Ron said as he grabbed a pillow and lay down in the corner. "Wake me when it's time to go, Harry." 

"You can doubt all you want, young Weasley, but the tarots tell all!" Professor Trelawney snapped. " If you all did the project I assigned over the summer, you will have no problems performing readings. But I sense that only Lavender and Parvati had the skills to complete the project, so we shall have to go over our last lesson," she finished. 

Professor Trelawney brought one of the empty tables to the middle of the room. She removed the silk table cloth, shook it free of dust and put it back on the table. Then she grabbed a pack of tarot cards, placed a crystal ball in the center of the table, took two sticks of incense from her never-ending supply, lit them, set everything in its place and sat down. 

"Now. Come to me, Mr. Weasley, and let me erase your doubts," She said. Ron huffed and went to sit at the table with Professor Trelawney. 

She shuffled the tarot cards and then laid them out infront of Ron. Ron rolled his eyes while Professor Trelawney messed with his hands, apparently trying to read his palms. Lothlorien was watching Professor Trelawney with a confused look on her face. 

"What in the name of all that is good and sweet in Odin's beard is that woman doing?" Puck, who was invisible and floating around Lothlorien, whispered. 

" Er...I don't know. Maybe it's...I _don't_ know," Lothlorien whispered back. 

"Maybe she's lit as much incense as is good for her," Puck said.

"Ahh. Mr. Weasley's aura is very open today. Then he's good for you to practice your mind reading skills on, children. Who would like to come up and try out their skills on Mr. Weasley?" Professor Trelawney asked.

Lothlorien raised her hand.

"Ahh, our new student. Very well. Come up, Miss...?"

"Gamgee." Lothlorien answered. She sat at the table up front with Ron.

"I don't know if you've noticed that Professor Trelawney doesn't know what she's doing." Ron said. "Just make something up and I'll act like you're psychic." 

Ron placed his hand in Lothlorien's and they both closed their eyes. Lothlorien felt along the lines in his palms and after a moment of silence she opened her eyes. 

"There're some interesting intrigues going on, eh?" Lothlorien said low enough so that only Ron could hear. 

"What?" He blushed.

Lothlorien sat up, closed her eyes, and said aloud "Yes....I see.. Ron was born ...March...first, nineteen........eighty.....six. His favorite subject is dismissal, his least favorite - potions, his best friends are Harry Potter and Hermione Granger, his idols are the three stooges and he is the youngest of six." 

Neville Longbottom gasped and stood up. "You're wrong already! Everyone knows Ron's sister Ginny is the youngest of the Weasleys and there's seven of them! And what about his fortune?" he shouted. 

"Well then... he's the youngest of six boys. Also, his favorite color is orange and he hates meatloaf. As for his fortune...err...mind your business!" Lothlorien said. 

Ron rose from his seat and said "It's all true!" and hands shot up, wanting to be next to read Ron. 

"Actually, that was pretty good," he whispered to Lothlorien. 

Ron gained just a bit of respect for Professor Trelawney because his "aura" had to be "open" because his classmates were reading him, even though it was nothing profound.

Parvatti read that his lower back hurt because the seat was too hard and Harry read that Ron had been craving pork chops all day. It must've been the second or third time anything close to mind reading actually took place in Divination. 

It did happen sometimes, but more to the credit of the textbooks than Professor Trelawney. Some thirty minutes later, everyone was on their way to lunch. Lothlorien, however, went to her room. 

"Ok, Puck show me your notes." she said. 

"What? You think I wasn't paying attention?" He asked. 

"Of course I don't think you were paying attention.!" she said. 

Puck took out his notebook and showed Lothlorien his surprisingly well detailed notes. 

"Hey, you actually were paying attention! I'm proud of you! Now let's have some lunch. Then we have half an hour of leisure time. These classes sure are long! They're like an hour each!" 

While she said all this, Puck laid out an elegant table of Elvish food. 

"Buon appetite!" He said. 

"Thank you, my friend," she replied and they ate.

* * * 


	3. Lolo Meets Malfoy

Ganya thanks you for your patience and asks that you keep in mind she is not a professional. 

She also would like you to know that -to her- fanfiction means: You take someone else's characters and you do what you damn well please with 'em. (So don't commit seppuku if someone is a bit out of (J.K. Rowling's) character.)

R/R and tell me if _I _should commit seppuku...

Chapter Tres * * *

Meanwhile, in the Great Hall.....

"That was an occasion." Harry said. 

"Yep. But Professor Trelawney's still a fake." Ron replied. "Anyhow, bless cats with the gravy, Har'," Ron asked. 

"Stop talking like an imbecile, Ron." Hermione said as she joined them. 

"I like that phrase. Got it from Sirius." Ron said. 

"Anyway, we have an extended lunch break because it turns out we have no defense against the dark arts teacher and therefore no defense against the dark arts class. After that we all have potions together," Hermione said.

"That'll be the only class we all have together, Hermione! You have to lower your average a bit so we can be together more often...like the old days," Ron said. 

"I bet once they find a defense against the dark arts teacher we'll have that together," she replied. 

Just then, the chandelier that was above Harry began to shake and one of its heavy, silver arms fell, narrowly missing his head and landing on his plate. The plate was cracked and the food that was on it splattered all over Harry.

Crabbe, Goyle and Malfoy bust out laughing. Ron, as expected, without saying a word, stood and rolled up his sleeves. 

"No, no, Ron! You mustn't fight! You might get suspended!" Hermione yelled. 

"Put your sleeves back down, Weasley. I didn't do that." Malfoy said.

"Yeah, right." Ron replied. 

"Well even if it was me, what are _you_ getting mad for? Why doesn't Potter ever fight for his own damn self?" Malfoy asked. Harry was turning red. He wanted to say something to Malfoy but his mouth was full of squash and he'd look stupid if he tried to speak.

"Well, Malfoy, you see the thing is, I hate you and I gladly take any opportunity I can to grace that irritating, little, rat mug of yours with my fists." Ron replied. 

But just then Professor McGonagall came and made Ron go back to his seat. "Ouch! What was that for ?" Malfoy asked, for she had slapped him across the head. 

"Just in case." Professor McGonagall replied. "Half of you go up to the library and study and the other half of you go help Hagrid clean up the mess the Deku scrubs made near the Herbology room. Don't think you're going to waste time doing whatever you want. This is still class time, not free time!" she hollered. 

Harry, Ron and Hermione went to help Hagrid, ofcourse. Harry and Ron had to talk Hermione into sacrificing her reading time though. 

* * *

Harry, and everyone else for that matter, would much rather have remained picking deku nut shells from baby mandrakes' hair than go to potions class, but they had no choice. 

Almost everyone who was not a Slytherin hated Professor Snape. Mainly because he hated almost everyone who was not a Slytherin. As the students walked into his classroom, ( which was actually a dungeon ) Professor Snape glowered at them. ( Except Malfoy, his favorite student. ) 

Luckily for Ron, his mother beckoned him home because of an emergency which we will hear about later.

"Sit down and open your textbooks to page 552. We're going to have a lab that covers most of the topics we learned last year." Professor Snape said. The class responded with grunts, sighs and swears. 

"It wouldn't bother you if you'd learned a damn thing last year! But, well 

-you're right- I'm asking for too much. You're going to make the Blue Stalfos and Ikana Valley Spell Resistance potions. Do not think you're just going to read the text book or your old notes and throw together some mess. 

You'll be graded on each step it takes to make the potions- for example, you'll be given 2 points if you clean your cauldrons out properly. Incase you haven't noticed, there are seven ravens in the room. 

There'll be one observing each group and judging whether or not you're doing anything worthwhile. I've been kind enough to place the materials you'll need at each of your desks. Remember - you will be graded for _everything. _

This is a two hour class and there are three of you at each table so you should be able to finish today. Tomorrow you will drink your potions and I, personally, will be putting them to the test. 

A well made Blue Stalfos potion alone can protect you from such curses as Imperius and Cruciatus, which I might use on you so DO A GOOD JOB! Now begin," said Snape, smiling in his spiteful Snape way. 

"I hate him," Harry said. 

Meanwhile... 

"Lo! Wake up, Lolo!" Puck said as he shook Lothlorien, who had fallen asleep after she ate lunch. 

"Wha...what happened?" she asked as she woke. 

"Get up, you're twenty minutes late for class! You fell asleep," he answered. 

"Huh? Why are you just waking me up now?" Lothlorien asked groggily. 

"I..uh..was in, you know, where they keep the owls and I didn't notice the time. Come on, we have potions," He said. And they ran down to Professor Snape's room. 

The professor was yelling at Neville for neglecting to wash his Stalfos mushrooms when Lothlorien walked in. He became silent and wide eyed.

"Um...I'm sorry I'm late, Professor, but..."

Professor Snape backed off of Neville, looked at Lothlorien and told her to find a seat before she could finish. 

"Go sit over there! Next to Potter!" Malfoy said in a loud whisper, pushing Goyle away. 

Malfoy stood tall and smiled. "How do you do? I'm Draco Malfoy, and this is my...uh...friend (?) Vincent Crabbe," Malfoy said. 

"Hello. I'm Lothlorien," She said with a smile. "What are we doing here? Ikana Valley...sounds familiar," she muttered. 

Malfoy was sloppily skinning a silver bog frog. 

"Can I do that?" Lothlorien asked. 

She skinned the frog while Crabbe washed the mushrooms and herbs and Malfoy mixed some other ingredients. All the while she and Malfoy chatted happily. They became friends quickly. 

Harry was watching them from the back, wondering why anyone would be happily talking to Malfoy.

"What the devil do you think you're doing!" Harry said to Goyle, loudly enough to let out his anger but quietly enough not to get Snape involved, for Goyle had shoved him roughly out of his way.

Goyle, who was dumb as an ox, did not realize he shoved Harry and did not hear him either. Since Malfoy was all the way at the front, Goyle didn't find it necessary to bully Harry. 

What he _was_ doing, however, was getting in the way of Hermione's work- as she was the only one doing anything useful. She put a sleeping charm on Goyle and he sat down, for he was pacing around looking for an herb he dropped, and fell asleep. 

Snape did not notice any of this. He was watching Lothlorien with his supercilious/disinterested expression that he usually wore if he wasn't scowling. He always looked either as if everything bored him or annoyed him. 

He seemed to be in a reverie and for an instant a smile -not a spiteful one but a normal one! - appeared on his face and he blushed. 

(Surprisingly his blood hadn't forgotten the way to his pale-as-death face.)

Nobody noticed this. 

Malfoy, Crabbe and Lothlorien had completed both the Blue Stalfos and Ikana Valley Resistance potions by the time there was ten minutes of class remaining. Malfoy announced that he was done and the everyone else grumbled and sighed. 

Professor Snape then examined the potions and, finding nothing wrong with them, bottled them and stood infront of the class. 

"Only one group has finished? The rest of you had better hurry up. 50 points to Slytherin, since you three did well," he said.

Lothlorien raised her hand. "I'm in Gryffindor, sir," she said.

Professor Snape never, NEVER gave points to any house beside Slytherin. Especially not Gryffindor. Snape stared at Lothlorien blankly for a few seconds, as if to say "_So?_", then the bell rung a bit early and everyone bounded out of the classroom. 

Ron, who had retuned to school half an hour after classes finished, was looking for Lothlorien but she was once again locked away in her room - having dinner with Puck. He wanted to ask her what it was she had read that made her say something about intrigues. 

Ron's emergency was that his father, Arthur Weasley, had been promoted from head of the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Department to Deputy Minister of Magic and his mother wanted the whole family (Hermione and Harry were invited also - if they got permission - they would be missing school days) home on Thursday to celebrate. She wanted to tell them in person so there would be no misunderstandings - it was to be a surprise party and they went over the plans. 

"Don't you forget to ask your parents if you can come, Hermione. And you write to Sirius, Harry." Ron said. 

Sirius was Harry's godfather and guardian. Since he, Harry, Ron and Hermione had managed to clear Sirius' name by getting a hold of Peter Wormtail the previous year, Harry had been living with Sirius. 

No longer did he have to endure putting up with the dreadful Dursleys. Hermione and Harry replied in the positive. Hermione magicked a phone and asked her parents' permission and Harry sent Hedwig to Sirius. They were both allowed to go. 

* * *


	4. The Dark Mark?

Hello bored people of internetland!

Here is where I say "I do not own Harry and his buddies."

I also do not own: Nintendo (N64) and Duke Nukem.

Chapter Shi * * *

Tuesday and Wednesday passed surprisingly quickly for the three friends, even though they were anticipating a party. They left for the Burrow at eight o' clock in the morning on Thursday - giving Mr.Weasley more than enough time to get to work. 

They spent the whole morning decorating the house, ( Hermione then placed an invisibility charm on the decorations ) the afternoon helping Mrs. Weasley cook and the early evening getting the guests together. 

Amos Diggory was coming home with Mr. Weasley and Percy on the pretext of wanting to eat some of Mrs. Weasley's famous chicken pot pie, which she had told Arthur was to be for dinner that night. Fred was watching the grandfather clock in the living room in order to warn everyone to run upstairs and be quiet as mice when the arm moved to "traveling". 

While they were waiting for Fred's warning call, the three friends, Ron's sister, Ginny, and his brother George were in his room playing Duke Nukem on Nintendo 64. ( Well, Hermione was there but she wasn't playing )

Harry had gotten Ron the N64 for his last birthday as it was an entertaining muggle creation. George was laughing at the top of his lungs because he was kicking the pants off everyone else. 

"MUHUHAHAHAHA! Oh, there you go, Ron! PEACE!" George continued to shoot Ron's character even though he'd been dead for twenty seconds already. 

"Damn it." Ron said as he threw the controller on the floor. 

"I told you videogames are not good for you. Look at yourself, Ron. You're all worked up over nothing. For once I wish you would play Quidditch instead. At least you'd be getting exercise." Hermione said. 

"We can't play Quidditch or Dad would see us. He should be on his way by now." Ron said. They didn't hear Fred's warning cry until 9:00, and it was quickly followed by the sound of those people who were downstairs rushing up. 

"Okay, Herbs, NO screaming, stomping, whining or other loud noises. We need to listen for Charlie tapping on the ceiling - code for headin' downstairs." 

The afore said code was heard within ten minutes and the Weasley children filed into the kitchen, much to their father's surprise, one by one, in order from youngest to oldest. 

The other guests followed. Hermione then removed the invisibility charm from the decorations and when everyone was downstairs they said 

"Congratulations, Deputy Minister of Magic!" in unison. Fred and George magicked a drum and tuba and played "Hail the Conquering Hero" 

"Now what is this all about?" Mr. Weasley asked. 

"We've all come to ask you for money, Dad." Ron said. Everyone laughed.

Ginny went up to Mr. Weasley, kissed him and said "I knew they would recognize your skills at the ministry one day, Dad." 

"Yeah, I knew we couldn't be the only ones who realized how great you are." Ron said.

"We all want to thank you, Dad, for putting up with us pests and struggling to support us all these years." George said. 

"We appreciate you very much!" Fred said. 

"Thank you for not kicking me out!" Percy said. 

"You were always my role model, Dad." Bill said. 

"You're the best!' Charlie said. 

"And we all love you!" Everyone said. 

"Thank you! Thank you very much everyone. I enjoy being here for you kids." Mr. Weasley laughed with a tear in his eye and then everyone went out back to eat. 

Mrs. Weasley was an excellent cook and she had made all the sorts of dishes that she would make on special occasions like Christmas and Easter. The merrymaking went on well into the night. The party was a success and Mr. Weasley was truly touched. 

Unfortunately his whole day did not go so well. They had a very bad fright at the ministry around one or so in the afternoon. After the kids had gone upstairs and only Mr. and Mrs. Weasley remained in the kitchen, did he talk about it. 

"Molly, thank you for setting this all up. After what happened today, I needed cheering up." He said. 

"What?" Mrs. Weasley asked with a slight trace of fear in her voice, for the look on her husband's face told her that something horrible had happened better than any words could have. 

"You won't believe it, but all of a sudden, while Amos and I were going through some files together, in the middle of the room adjoining my office.......the dark mark appeared." He said. Mrs. Weasley gasped. 

"At first we thought we were seeing things, but it was real. Percy didn't see it and I didn't tell him because I don't want him worrying. Amos and I, we just did not know what to do. 

We thought about it for a while and decided not to get too bent out of shape. Voldemort ...he just can't be alive. It could have been some jack ass just playing a nasty little trick, who made the mark." 

As he said this Harry and Ron were coming downstairs to get something to drink. They had heard Mr. Weasley say Voldemort and they froze. 

"Oh, Arthur, take it more seriously than that. That mark can mean anything..." Mrs. Weasley stopped talking. 

Harry and Ron were standing at the foot of the staircase, staring at her blankly. Mr. Weasley turned and saw them. Harry broke the silence. 

"Voldemort can't be back. He can't . Sirius and Dumbledore and me...we all killed him. It just couldn't be him." He said quietly. 

"I know it's disturbing, Harry, but you just have to keep thinking along those lines. It could not have been Voldemort. It was probably somebody's idea of a practical joke. Mr. Diggory and I are going to look into things.

In the meantime try not to worry too much about it. And please, boys...since we're not yet sure what it's all about don't go telling people. I'm not scolding you or anything...it's just that we don't need everybody getting worked up for something which just may be meaningless." Mr. Weasley said softly. 

"I understand, Sir." Harry said. 

"But don't you hesitate to tell us if anything strange happens to you, Dear." Mrs. Weasley said. 

"That's right. Tell us as soon as possible. I guess it would be wise for you to tell Professor Dumbledore. He'll look out for you just in case and he won't go putting the news all over town." Mr. Weasley said.

"Are you going to be alright, Harry?" Mrs. Weasley asked. 

"Yeah...I'll be alright." Harry said. Mrs. Weasley gave him a comforting hug. Mr. Weasley once again told them to report anything strange and they got their drinks then went upstairs. 

Neither Ron nor Harry spoke about what they had just heard. They went to sleep pushing thoughts of Voldemort and Death Eaters out of their minds.

* * *


	5. Why Santa's Little Helpers Are Political...

And I continue to write! (Well...not really...)

Churros are good when they're hot and it's winter.

Kudos to J.R.R. Tolkien for the Silmarillion, Hobbits, Rivendell, etc.

Chapter Five * * *

The three friends and Ginny woke up early, bathed, breakfasted and returned to Hogwarts right in time for classes. Harry decided not to tell Dumbledore about the dark mark until something strange did happen and he did his best to forget about it in the meantime.

He was not really worried or scared - just a bit confused. "How many times _is_ Voldemort going to come back?" Harry wondered.

Friday was a long day. Harry and Ron got detentions in Divination for tossing Professor Trelawney's incense out the window. She came out from behind her bead curtain just when Ron turned the box of incense over into the lake. 

As punishment, they had to scrub the floor of the entire second floor with toothbrushes, no magic and no gloves. Owls were sent to their families and they had to pay for Professor Trelawney's incense. 

When they finished scrubbing the floors, their hands were red and blistered, their backs severely hurting, and their knees scraped, yet they managed to laugh about their little caper. 

The next morning, as soon as they woke up, Ron had a Howler waiting for him on his night table, but he managed to throw it into Moaning Myrtle's bathroom right before it exploded. He did not feel like being screamed at. Harry just got a letter from Sirius.

Dear Harry,

Real funny prank. ( Sarcasm implied ) Don't go getting yourself into trouble like that. That was a pretty mean thing to do. I don't want to receive another owl like this for a while - not ever if you can help it. Try to stay out of trouble, 'kay? 

Sirius

"Gees, you get off easy." Ron said. Harry shrugged in reply. When they went down to breakfast around 9 they saw a big crowd around the Slytherin table. 

They just sat at the Gryffindor table and didn't pay attention - until they realized what the commotion was about. For the first time since the first day of school, Lothlorien was eating in the Great Hall. 

She had sat down to breakfast with Malfoy but she wasn't eating the school food - she was eating her Elvish food. 

"What's all that?" A couple of second years asked. 

"It's Elvish food," Lothlorien replied. 

"What do you mean, 'Elvish food'? Elves prepare the school food, doesn't that make it Elvish? Why don't you just eat that?" One of them asked. 

"This is _not _Elvish food," Lothlorien said pointing to Malfoy's bacon and eggs. 

"Oh, ethnic stuff. So...why you eating it?" the one asked. 

"Well...because it's good, and I'm an Elv, I guess," she said. Everyone gasped at this reply. 

"You ain't no Elf! Elves is ugly, dirty, lil' things wit' big, floppy ears that wear tea bags like togas and stuff," An American exchange student said.

Lothlorien was a bit offended at this. She had been wondering why Elv history wasn't offered at Wizarding schools. Nearly every Wizard's idea of Elves were exactly as those of the American student. 

"I don't understand why they don't teach Elvish history here! In Rivendell schools Wizard history is taught. The people who prepare your meals here are not Elves at all. I guess they must be known as Elves everywhere outside of Rivendell..." Lothlorien trailed off. 

"Yep. House Elves. 'Cause that's what they are," said one Slytherin. 

"So when you think of Elves, you think of 'House Elves' as you call them, Santa's little helpers and tiny people with wings, do you?" Lothlorien asked. 

The crowd replied in the positive. At this point Hermione entered the Great hall. 

"Have any of you heard of the Silmarillion?" Lothlorien asked. Hermione heard this and buzzed over. 

"I have. It's the history of Elves. I read it over the summer," replied Hermione.

"Right. Elves are not dirty little creatures, and neither are the people who prepare your meals here. That's a horrible way to refer to them. There are many species of naturally magical creatures in the world today. Long ago, however, there were about six major groups - Hobbits, Dwarves, Fairies, Trolls, Orcs, also known as Goblins, and Elves. 

Anyhow the different groups all lived in their own kingdoms and did not deal with eachother much. After the Great War of The Rings, which involved everyone...even wizards, many kingdoms were destroyed and the peoples had to leave their homes of old and find new places to live. 

The different peoples began to live together and intermix. However, since wizards were the ones who began the War of the Rings for the most part, the magical peoples were skeptical of humans and avoided them. Over the years the humans basically forgot about the magical races.. 

The little knowledge that remained of them became what are your fairy tales today and all the magical races are collectively referred to as Elves or Fairies in human society...which is not P.C. ( Hermione nodded in assent )

I am an Elv. I'm the princess of Rivendell. As I said before, your 'House Elves' are not elves at all. They are the Kiton people, whose ancestors were Hobbits and Orcs. In Rivendell, the Kiton are _not_ slaves. 'Santa's Little Helpers' are the Dwary people. Their ancestors were Dwarves and Fairies. Giants are the descendants of Trolls and Humans and there are many more races that came about from such intermixing," 

Everyone was fascinated. They contemplated silently for a while and then a hum of conversation began. From then on, Lothlorien had Hermione's respect. At that point, Harry and Ron realized the crowd was gathered around Lothlorien. 

"Why is she sitting at the Slyhterin table?" Ron asked. 

"She's sitting next to Malfoy," Harry said, frowning. 

Hermione began to tell Lothlorien about S.P.E.W., the Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare that she had started in the fourth year and how it didn't do so well. 

Professor McGonagall approached the crowd with Professor Snape some distance behind her.

"What is all this? Gryffindors sit at your own table. That goes for everyone." Professor McGonagall said. Hermione and Lothlorien joined Harry and Ron at the Gryffindor table.

"Hey, Ron," Lothlorien said with a smile. 

"Hey, Lothlorien. Did I introduce you to my best friend, Harry?" Ron asked.

"I don't think so. How are you Harry?" Lothlorien asked. 

"Very well, thank you." Harry blushed. 

"Hmmm...are you Harry Potter? _The_ famous Harry Potter?" asked the former. 

"Yep, that's me." replied the latter. 

Harry expected Lothlorien to stare at his scar. Every time a person found out he was the "Famous Harry Potter" their eyes would shoot straight to his scar. Surprisingly, Lothlorien did not do this. 

"Umm...so, Lothlorien, how do you like Hogwarts?" Harry asked. 

"It's certainly an interesting change for me. I've never really been around humans before. They're not allowed in Rivendell. It's part of some post War of the Rings doctrine." she added to Hermione. 

"Aha! I knew you weren't human!" Harry said. "Er... That didn't come out right...So what are you?"

"Elv," Lothlorien smiled and shook her head. Harry was thinking along the lines of the kid who said "But Elves is ugly" but he knew it would be rude.

"Not like House Elves, Harry," Hermione said. "Turns out they aren't Elves at all. There's a great deal of History that for some reason is not being taught to us about magical people. They all live in Rivendell. That's where she's from." 

"What exactly is Rivendell? I mean, where is it and all?" Ron asked. 

"It used to be here on Earth, long ago. But after the War of the Rings it became a separate realm. You can't exactly say where it is. There's no road that leads there or anything like that. It's a bit hard to explain." she replied. 

"What's it like?" Harry asked. 

"It is beautiful! It's where the children of Elrond dwell in happiness, where the stars are ancient deities gazing down in admiration of their wonderful creations, where the trees sing and dance in their homes - the forests of old where many great and memorable deeds took place! A place so wondrous and fantastic we mere mortals cannot come close to imagining the likes of it!" Hermione said, as if in a dream. 

Harry, Ron and Lothlorien were impressed with the image Hermione's description had placed in their minds. 

"Well...at least it used to be. Rivendell is still beautiful but it has changed so much. It's only a shadow of it's former self," Lothlorien said rather sadly. 

"What happened?" Harry asked. 

"Oh, a lot of things...over time. People change...Now there's some weirdo running around stealing people's magic. 

That person is partly the reason I'm here. I want to encourage my people to learn forms of magic that won't require the energy that is being stolen so they'll be able to defend themselves no matter what. 

But they have a very low opinion of Wizards and aren't too keen on having to do things the 'Wizard Way'" she said.

"So why don't you make it a law or something? Order them to learn," Hermione said. 

"Ha! My father is the biggest mor -I mean- he hates Wizards more than anyone. He's the king. He makes the rules," Lothlorien said. 

"Him and Uncle Vernon should go bowling together someday," Harry said.

"So you're the princess...I thought Undomiel was a royal name." Hermione said.

But just then Malfoy came by. He looked at Harry, Ron and Hermione as if they were something disgustingly offensive. 

"Come on, Lothlorien. Some seventh years are dueling in the Slytherin common room. It'll be entertaining." He said. 

Lothlorien said "Well, I'll see you guys later." and walked away with Malfoy. Harry felt a surge of anger welling up but he managed to suppress it. 

"Why the devil does she hang out with that kid?" Ron asked. 

The only thing Harry thought about the whole weekend was how much he'd like to pound Malfoy. He kind of had a thing for Lothlorien. 

* * *

At 1:27 on Monday morning, Harry woke with a start. His scar was throbbing with pain and that only meant one thing: something terrible had either happened or was about to. He had had a strange dream but he could just barely remember it. 

There were two blurry figures speaking to eachother in a beautiful forest. All Harry heard of their conversation was a low, hissing voice, which Harry recognized as Voldemort's, ask "Did you say Hogwarts?" and a young sounding voice slowly ask "What the devil are you?" 

Harry was a bit worried, but he calmed down after a while. 

"Whatever it means, I can deal with. I've been through so much already, so what can be that bad?" Harry thought.

And he was right. He had "killed" Voldemort some four or five times already, and he figured that with so many consecutive losses to a person less than half his age, Voldemort was not exactly threatening anymore.

He remembered that the Weasleys told him to report any such oddities as soon as possible, but Harry did not feel like dealing with a whole load of drama. When he entered the Great Hall on the first day of school, he was convinced that his sixth year was going to be a peaceful one. 

And with that thought, Harry did his best to ignore the pain and he fell asleep once more. 


	6. The Squib and The Sock Flute

Ahh, Squibs. Hello, my imaginary fans. 

I wrote this story last summer and posted the whole thing in July 2002 but it got no love. I figured that long-ass stories scare people away - they're just browsin' around for a good, quick read. 

Well, I guess it's just because I suck that this story is not getting read, or because, as IT'saconspiracy said, some secret clique controls who gets kudos and who does not.

Whatever it may be, I continue to post.

You may question me brains, and whether I have a life or not, but NEVER question my Tolkien fandom. 

Con todo mi amor, Ganya

Chapter (Argh, I'm running out of languages!) Sei

The next month passed without great incident. On Halloween there were some festivities but nothing grand. The schedules were slightly changed - since Dumbledore did not expect to find a defense against the dark arts teacher anytime soon, all the classes were lengthened by some 10 to 20 minutes in order to take up the extra time after lunch. 

There was a trip to Hogsmeade scheduled for November the 24th, that had everyone excited. We now join our hero and his confidant, Monsieur Weasley, goofing around at the back of the room during Transfiguration class. ( Harry, along with a few others who were at his level, had failed the first quarter and were put into the remedial class.) 

The two friends were making a roach sing and dance until Professor McGonagall noticed. 

"If either of you make one more move I disapprove of you'll be serving very cruel detentions," she said. "Now, as I was saying, last week we all successfully transfigured Nearly Headless Nick and the Fat Friar into panda bears and back. I was very, very proud of you all. 

Turning such an entity as a ghost into something like a panda is very hard work. Such work is good practice for those of you who wish to become Animagi someday. But what we're preparing for now is surprisingly easier: We will be transfiguring each other." Professor McGonagall said. 

Malfoy raised his hand. 

"Professor...how can transfiguring each other be easier than becoming an Animagi?" he asked, sincerely concerned. 

"It sounds hard to believe but once we do it you will see. For one thing, when one is turning into an Animagi, one may get very nervous and worry about how one might...ehem...mess oneself up. But when one is transfiguring another person, one is less worried about mistakes, and when one is not worrying about mistakes, one makes less mistakes. It's true!" she said, smiling. 

"I dunno...That's a lot o' 'ones'." Malfoy said. 

"Cool," Ron said to himself. He then raised his hand. "Professor when are we gonna start?" he asked excitedly. 

"Today. I believe you are prepared well enough. The students in the more advanced classes have been transfiguring each other since the second week of school. 

They are now learning to transfigure themselves into plants. Ofcourse, even for them such work is very carefully supervised. In all my years no student has made a mistake which I myself have not been able to fix. 

So if anyone is scared, you needn't be. Very well, enough talk. Let's warm up on our book-bags for five minutes or so and then we shall begin," she finished. 

Harry confidently transfigured his book-bag, first into a bookshelf, then into a pint of butterbeer and lastly into a Cleansweep Seven and back into a book-bag. 

Ron was rapidly turning his bag from a pack of dung-bombs to a Chudley Cannons poster over and over again. After six or seven minutes Professor McGonagall told everyone to stop what they were doing. 

"Alright, class. I want two very confident volunteers to come to the front," she said. Several hands shot up, but Ron's was waving most enthusiastically. 

"Well, Mr.Weasley. I'm happy to see you eager to work. Yes, you and Potter will make fine examples. Come now," The two friends stood infront of the class. 

"Now then...these two accomplished scholars (scattered giggling) will transfigure each other into a pair of shoes. Boys, I remind you that you need not worry. The procedure is not too difficult. Firstly you must be at least ten inches apart and face each other. 

Do as you would if you were transfiguring any other object into a shoe but do it in synchronicity with your partner and focus just a bit more. It's easier if you both focus on the same type of shoe. DO NOT purposely make mistakes. Now...begin," she finished. 

Harry and Ron smiled at each other while the class stared at them in anticipation. The two friends raised their wands on the count of three and then shouted "_Sutorus_"also on three. 

In a matter of seconds the two friends became a pair of gray boots. The class applauded and Professor McGonagall beamed with pride. 

"I know what you all must be thinking, '_How will they return themselves to normal?'_ boots as they are, they each have brains. Whatever object one turns oneself into, one's brain will remain intact. Potter, Weasley, you've both done an excellent job. To return to normal all you have to do is think _priori sutorus_ to yourselves. That's _priori,_ your common reversal command," Professor McGonagall said as Ron and Harry returned to normal. The class once again broke into applause. 

"As I was saying, your common reversal command is just saying _ priori_ and whatever spell you've performed. Now, my two scholars, tell your classmates how simple that was," she finished. 

"It was so easy I'm surprised you waited so long to teach it to us, Professor," Ron said. 

"Yeah and it was actually fun," Harry said.

"See? Alright, I want each of you to find a partner you are confident with and begin transfiguring each other into things that come in pairs. I won't let you kill eachother so I say once more, _do not worry_," Professor McGonagall said. Naturally Ron and Harry paired themselves up. 

"Oi, Malfoy, let's begin," Crabbe said.

"Ugh! What makes you think I'd want an idiot like you transfiguring me?" Malfoy replied.

"I'll be your partner," Pansy Parkinson said. 

"Umm...I'm not too sure," Malfoy said. Ten minutes passed and he remained partnerless. 

"Professor McGonagall, nobody wants to be my partner!" Neville Longbottom half-whined. 

"Who else is without a partner?" she asked. Malfoy remained silent and tried to slip under his desk. 

"Mr. Malfoy, I haven't seen you transfigure. Let Mr. Longbottom here be your partner."

"Oh, no, Professor! I don't feel confident about having that...having Neville as my partner," Malfoy replied. 

"Well it seems you weren't confident in anyone, Mr. Malfoy. I must have said you need not be worried at least ten times. Are you doubting my skills in transfiguration?" Professor McGonagall asked. 

"Umm...it's not that, Professor...it's..." 

"Come, come, now, Mr. Malfoy. Professor Snape is constantly testing out all sorts of strange potions on you and you never have problems swallowing those...disgusting...Anyway let Neville be your partner or we'll be forced to believe you're a coward," she said. 

Malfoy reluctantly placed himself ten inches from Neville. 

"Now, let's make it nice and simple...you should turn each other into a nice, fluffy pair of socks," she said. 

"If you mess up, Longbottom..." Malfoy glared. 

"Mr. Malfoy, by threatening Longbottom you'll only make him nervous and increase his chances of making a mistake," Professor McGonagall interrupted. 

The two raised their wands at the same time. "_Tibialetus_!" Malfoy shouted while Neville shouted "_Tibicenetus_!" 

Neville turned into a nice, fluffy, white, sock, while Malfoy was trying to scream with pain as he transformed. Apparently Neville had been picturing a fluffy, white, sock as he shouted the command for "Become a flute." Malfoy's head became a sort of ball of fluffy fabric with a silver flute growing out of where his mouth should have been. 

One of his arms remained as it was and the other one was composed of the fluffy fabric up to his elbow. The rest of it was a flute attached to his half-cotton-half-tin body. 

"Oh my," Professor McGonagall said quietly, yet perceptibly worried. "Neville! Neville, can you hear me? The command for become a sock is _tibialetus! _Return to normal!" she shouted. Neville returned to his usual self, looking quite worried. 

"LOOK WHAT YOU'VE...no, no Minerva, you mustn't lose it," Professor McGonagall said to herself, calming down. "Didn't they teach you Latin in grammar school, Longbottom? How are we supposed to return this boy to normal? There's no command for "Become a sock-flute" for me to use in order to reverse the spell! Oh, Lord, help me!" she lost it again. 

"You know, Longbottom, the only thing you've done correctly this year was turn the Fat Friar into a panda and that took you long enough! Dumbledore wasted his time convincing the teachers to let you a stay when you'd failed your tenth subject back in the third year! You'd better begin your apprenticeship as a janitor now, because as far as I'm concerned, you, sir, are a grade-A _squib!_" 

The class gasped. 

"Don't know what they're surprised for," Ron whispered to Harry. Neville's eyes swelled up with tears and he ran out the room. 

"Who needs Malfoy, anyway, though? I really do prefer Neville's sock-flute-whatever," Harry said quietly.

Malfoy was rushed to the hospital wing. Dumbledore did not contact his parents because more bad than good would come out of that. Neville's grandmother was furious and ashamed when she heard the news. She refused to have Neville return to her home but begged Professor Dumbledore to accept him as apprentice-janitor. 

"If that's what it's come to, I'd rather he work for you than anyone else, Professor," she said. 

Nobody saw Neville for a while. Madam Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall were curing Malfoy when Lothlorien entered the hospital wing. She told Professor McGonagall that she had heard the news just as he was returned to normal. He woke immediately. 

"What am I doing in the hospital wing?" He asked quickly. 

"You were knocked out, Mr. Malfoy. As you were walking down the third-floor hallway a seventh year abruptly opened a door and you crashed right into it," Professor McGonagall lied, convincingly. 

Malfoy frowned and rubbed his head. A piece of cotton fell from his sleeve but he did not notice it. He and Lothlorien then went to the Great Hall for dinner together The other students who had witnessed the incident were warned by Professor Dumbledore not to speak of it. 

When he saw Malfoy enter the hall looking perfectly alright, Ron swore rather loudly. 

"Ron! That's absolutely horrible!" Hermione scolded. "Even if it is Malfoy!" she finished.

"No, he's exempt," Harry said coldly as he saw Malfoy accompanied by Lothlorien. 

As Lothlorien began to head toward the Gryffindor table, Professor Snape approached her. 

"Ms. Gamgee? Just a word," he said, as he walked up to her. "Your essay on the endless possibilities in potions was very insightful. Some of the ideas you presented have got me thinking though..." he trailed off. 

"I was disgusted with the last edition of the O.W.L review book, and I was working on putting together my own version...maybe there would be less failures in Potions exams. Anyhow I'd like to include some of what you said," Professor Snape said. 

"Really, Sir? Well, why don't we work on it together? I have notebooks full of potions information from rare books that..." 

"Very well then. I'd like as much information as I can get," he said with a hint of impatience in his voice. 

"Excellent. When shall we start?" Lothlorien asked. 

"Come to my office after dinner on Friday. I'll have had all my grading done by then.." Snape said. 

Lothlorien bade him good evening and sat down to dinner. 

* * *


	7. The Kings Of Quidditch

Hi, people. I continue to post.

Umm...I dunno what to say. Musashi is a good book. =)

Err here's the next chapter.

Chapter Septem

The next day, Ron and Harry got over their disappointment at Malfoy's recovery when they heard the news that Quidditch was being brought back. 

During the final game of the 5th year, somebody had sabotaged the Slytherin team's brooms. The age old "If the person responsible does not come forward..." threat was used and the penalty was no Quidditch during the next school year. 

For some reason that penalty had been lifted and with it went Harry and Ron's spirits. Immediately after classes there was a meeting held in the Gryffindor common room. 

"Unfortunately, last year's graduation robbed us of our whole team...except Harry, Kendo and me. Our much beloved Beaters, Fred and George Weasley, have left us, and our very skilled Chaser, Angelina Johnson has moved on to bigger and better...well, maybe not better...things, along with our captain...what was his name?" Katie Bell, the seventh-year Chaser, asked. 

"Ummm...I forgot. He was only with us for a year, anyway." Ron said. 

"Yes, well, he has left us for the big, scary world and will be missed too. Okay so we need two tough, strong, Beaters, a fast, energetic Chaser with good eye-hand coordination, a reliable Keeper and one tactful, qualified captain!" she finished. Seamus Finnegan raised his hand.

"I nominate the king of Quidditch, himself, Ronald Weasley for beater!" he shouted. Ron was a bit surprised as people began to clap and grunt their assent. He blushed as he stood up straight. 

"All those who second the nomination say aye!" Katie shouted. If there were nay Sayers in the audience, the ayes drowned them out. When the noise died down, Ginny Weasley came forward. 

"I nominate myself, second beater...I feel I would do justice to the Weasley and Weasley tradition." she said, the tone of nervousness slightly in her voice. 

There were various "Not a bad idea"s and "Aye, aye on that."s and some "She plays Quidditch?"s. 

"Any other nominations?" Katie asked. The idea of a "Weasley and Weasley" tradition began to catch on. 

"Those who second Ginny?" Katie shouted. There were good amounts of ayes and nays. 

"Alright, alright. Raise your hand if you're for Ginny!" she shouted. She counted the hands three times then said 

"Ginny Weasley for beater! Twenty-two out of forty votes!" The crowd replied with boos and cheers. 

" I nominate the very agile, Seamus Finnigan for chaser! Let's just throw him up there as there's no one faster'n he is..." Seamus' friend, Dean Thomas, shouted. 

"Any objections?" Katie asked. 

"Nah, we think it's a right spiffy idea." Ron said. 

"I nominate Nelson Peck for keeper!" Joel Dyer shouted. 

"I nominate myself!" Christopher Jeeter, a third year, shouted. 

"And I nominate Tank Fletcher for keeper!" Katie shouted. The room filled with the buzzing of controversial conversation. 

"Alright, the three nominees, up front!" Harry shouted and the three came up. "Joel, why would Peck make a good keeper?" Harry asked. 

"I've seen him play as keeper before and he did a mighty fine job." Joel said. 

"Anybody else got somethin' to say?" Harry asked. Nobody answered. "Jeeter, state your case." he continued. 

"I think good eye-hand coordination is more important in a keeper than a chaser, you see, and if I got anything I got that. There's a muggle game called Hockey and I been playin' goalie on my neighborhood team since way back as I can remember. 

Goalies do the same thing that keepers do...but much harder...I mean we gotta stop this little tiny thing called a puck, 'bout yay big, and plus I'm always playin' video games which also helps in the stimulatin' and articulatin' of eye-hand coordination." Jeeter said honestly, showing the crowd the approximate size of a puck with his fingers. 

"Katie, why would Tank make a good keeper?" Harry asked. 

"Well, he's huge! What are you, Tank? 6"8? Three-hundred forty pounds?" Katie asked. Tank grunted. 

"He's so wide and so tall that if the opposing team's chasers attempted to get the quaffle through our posts, it'd just hit some part of Tank. An' all he'll have to do is move slightly...or maybe not even. I played Quidditch all my life and I think I know player potential when I see it." she said. 

"A'right, those for Peck!" Harry shouted. Nobody really said anything. "What is that? You gotta raise your hand or something!" Harry shouted. The crowd slowly became one voice that said "Nay!" 

"Those for Jeeter, raise your hands!" Harry shouted. He and Katie counted the hands three times each. 

"Twenty out of forty! Once again, those for Jeeter, please raise your hands!" Harry shouted. Again he and Katie counted the hands multiple times. The tally remained the same. 

"Since it's a tie we will decide who'll be the keeper at our first practice. Umm...the time for our first practice will be decided later." Katie said.

"I NOMINATE HARRY POTTER FOR CAPTAIN!" Ron shouted. The crowd replied with oohs and ahhs. 

" I nominate Katie Bell!" Lavender Brown shouted. Then the crowd became really ornery. 

"Katie has been on the team for seven years now. On top of that she's on her neighborhood Quidditch team. She plays all year round! You cannot doubt that she is a Quidditch genius, always watching the games, always taking her job as chaser seriously. She's been around the Quidditch field and she can teach us all a thing or two!" Lavender shouted. The crowd applauded. 

Ron pulled the table that was usually by the window more or less to the middle of the room then jumped up on it. 

"Harry Potter is a man of honor! Harry Potter is a man with skill. _Skill, _I tell you. Back in '97, when he was a mere first year, the Gryffindor team was in dire straits. Gryffindor had not won the Cup for a generation until this boy became seeker. 

Year after year after _year_...Slytherin won the cup...until this man became seeker. He ain't big, he ain't buff, he ain't diesel, but damn, can he play quidditch! And that's not all!' 

Ron waited for the cheers to die down. 

'That, my friends, is not all! When it comes to tactfulness...this man could be a general if you ask me! Man, do you know how much sneaking around this kid does? Umm...I mean when he's doin'...stuff he shouldn't be doin' and a teacher comes by...he always finds a way out!

I mean, I been with him on many such occasions and I never would have dreamed some of the stuff this guy comes up with. Genius, I tell you. _Sheer _genius. I have spoken." with that Ron stepped down. 

The room fell silent, until Colin Creevy screamed "Three cheers for captain Harry!" Then everyone began clapping and shouting their support for Harry and they picked him up on their shoulders out of the common room and marched around the great hall cheering.

Everyone was so excited they decided they would skip dinner and hold their first practice, even though the first game wasn't until December. The practice went well. Much to the Gryffindor crowd's surprise, (even though they voted for her) Ginny Weasley made a fine beater. 

Skilled as he was, poor Christopher Jeeter was not chosen for keeper. It was just impossible to get anything past the humongous Tank Fletcher. As they were heading up to Gyffindor tower, Harry stopped Ron. 

"I really appreciate what you did for me back there, Ron! That speech was amazing! They probably wouldna have even considered me if it wasn't for you!" he said. 

"Ah, I thought you were the man for the job, spud. I meant what I said, too. But, am I surprised at Ginny! Being a Weasley an' all I guess the love for Quidditch is in the blood, but I never knew she was any good at it. Maybe it's because every time I've played with her she's been chaser. She blows as chaser." They entered the tower and called it a night.


	8. Cliche Coupling

Imagine a string of the usual author type chit chat.

Chapter VII

The next day, during potions, the last class of the day, Harry, Ron and Hermione were writing a letter to Sirius.

Dear Sirius,

The greatest things happened yesterday! Remember when I told you that some kid had hexed all the Slytherin's Quidditch team's brooms and Professor McGonagall said there'd be no Quidditch this year? The other day, for some reason, they changed their minds and said we would be playing Quidditch! And here's the real surprise: I was elected captain!! (^^) Well, it was all thanks to Ron, you see. He nominated me and came up with this great speech, and everybody was cheering and it was great. Ron and his sister, Ginny are the new beaters and they were great too.

Hello, Sirius! It's Hermione. I'm trying to tell Harry to use another adjective besides great but he won't listen to me. I see he has also neglected to tell you about his even "greater" accomplishment. He got an A+ on his last Transfiguration exam! I was very proud of him even though he probably would not have studied for it if I didn't make him.

Ahoy, Sirius! I keep trying to get Hermione to stop studyin' for once and enjoy life but she won't listen to me! Anyway don't you always catch yourself sayin' "Gees, that Harry! He'd make a fine Quidditch captain, wouldn't he?" Well now he is! Isn't that GREAT? Well, that's all for now, Sirius. We hope you're doing well!

We'll write again when something interesting happens. Oh, I forgot! Something else more interesting than anything we've written so far has happened! Malfoy was turned into a sock-flute by Neville during Transfiguration! Unfortunately he didn't stay like that for long and poor Neville has become apprentice janitor on the account of because he's a squib! Alright, now I think that's all. Have a nice week!

Slipping closer towards oblivion, your loving God-son, Harry

Love from Hermione Don't do anything I wouldn't do! Peace, love and chicken grease, The Quidditch King, Sir Ronald Weasley

After class Harry headed up to the owlery to give Hedwig the letter. He found her chattering with the other owls. Harry tied the letter to her leg and told her to take it to Sirius. She nipped his hand and flew off. 

As he was heading down to the Great Hall, Lothlorien stopped to talk to Harry. 

"I just heard the news, Harry! Congratulations on becoming captain of the Qudditch team!" she said. 

"Oh, heh, heh. Thanks. It was nothing, really..." he blushed in reply. "Did you hear that Ron and his sister are the new beaters?" But before Lothlorien could say anything, Malfoy cut in. 

"Oh, yes, very interesting, Potter. Anyway, so Lolo, my team is about to head on down to practice? Wanna come?" He asked, smiling 

"Sure," she replied and she left with Malfoy. They chatted on their way downstairs. 

"I've been Slytherin's seeker for five years now. And I guess you can also say I'm the team manager, 'cause my Dad and me get new robes and brooms for the team every year. So...uh...do you even like Quidditch?" he asked. 

"Yeah. We play it in Rivendell. Only thing is that we don't use brooms." Lothlorien said. 

"You don't?" Malfoy asked. They walked onto the field. The sky was gray and it was very windy. 

"No." she replied and she began to fly in circles around Malfoy, who was amazed. "Lucky she isn't on the Gryffindor team." he thought.

As Malfoy and the Slytherin team practiced, Lothlorien sat in the stands and watched. Two petite first year girls were the chasers - Cornflower Jones and Angelica Morgendorfer. ( The third chaser, fourth year Francine Wellington, was not in the mood for practice. ) They made good chasers since, being so small, they were difficult to catch. (And difficult to see, for that matter.) 

The beaters were none other than Crabbe and Goyle. Even if they weren't the brightest beaters, they made a good team because during games their opponents would be so preoccupied with dodging super powered bludgers that they wouldn't give their all to winning. 

Marcus Flint was the keeper and Captain. He was supposed to have graduated in 2000 but he got left back every other year. And then there was Malfoy the seeker. Not a gifted seeker, but not necessarily a bad one, as Lothlorien observed. 

After trying to find the snitch while dodging the bludgers that were being beamed at him for forty or so minutes, Malfoy decided to take a break. He sat in the stands next to Lothlorien. 

"You're good, Draco. Only thing is that your moves are a bit easy to read." Lothlorien said. 

"Yeah...I'll work on that. Gees, that big dope Goyle sure does hit hard. But I think Cornflower and Angelica are doing a great job." he said. 

"They certainly are. They haven't even come remotely close to being hit not once." Lothlorien replied. 

"Hey, Lolo, I wanted to ask you somethin'. You see every year, well not really until recently...anyway that's not the point. So...right before Christmas vacation there's a Yule ball, you see." Lothlorien's face lighted up. 

"A ball? Oh, I love to dance! I never get to though. Papa only allows us to dance during a certain religious festival we have. He's says such rejoicing at any other time is disrespectful to the Valar but I think he just likes making up rules." Malfoy smiled then continued. 

"I wanted to ask you to come with me in advance before any of these other fools do, 'cause I figured once they were reminded of it they'd be all over you, you know." he said, with just a hint of difficulty. 

"Sure!" she replied. 

The Yule Ball was originally only held during the Tri-Wizard Tournaments - a special tournament that was held only once every five years. But during fifth year Lavender Brown started a petition for a ball to be held every year. Being that nearly every single girl, and all the boys who were sixteen and older, signed the petition, Professor Dumbledore allowed there to be an annual ball. 

The only difference between it and the official Tri-Wizard Tournament Yule Ball was that it was held before the Christmas vacation and not on Christmas.

"So why don't you practice with us? Just for fun?" Malfoy asked. 

"Sorry. I've got to start heading over to Professor Snape's office now. We're trying to make the perfect O.W.L. review book." she said. 

"Really? Well, have...eh...fun. I think I'll just stay out here 'till Filch makes us go upstairs." Malfoy replied.

When Lothlorien entered his office, she found Professor Snape sitting at his desk, staring at the ceiling with a biscuit sticking out his mouth. 

"Oh, there you are, Ms. Gamgee." he said, dropping the biscuit and jumping out of his seat. 

"Hello, Professor. Sorry if I scared you..." Lothlorien said. 

"Wha...Oh, no, no, not at all. So...shall we begin?" he asked.

"Yes, Sir. I've brought my outlines...take a look." she said, handing him her notebook. Professor Snape read Lothlorien's notes briefly. 

"Alright, then let me just get everything in order..." Professor Snape mumbled, as he magicked his books and things onto his desk. 

"Professor, don't you find using magic to do everything boring? Wouldn't you rather work manually?" Lothlorien asked. Snape raised his eyes from the notebook and stared at her blankly.

"No," he replied. Lothlorien smiled. 

"What?" Snape asked, annoyed.

"Nothing," she replied. From that Friday on, Lothlorien and Professor Snape

worked on their book every other day after classes. 

* * * 

Meanwhile Harry, Ron and Hermione were heading over to Hagrid's cabin to pay him a visit. Harry was still angry about the way Malfoy ruined what could have been a nice conversation with Lothlorien. 

Ron and Hermione were laughing because during dinner Ron had all of a sudden remembered something funny, and his soda came out his nose as he burst out laughing. 

Ron was surprised that Hermione was laughing at all. If it were last year, he thought, she would have smacked him for acting so childishly.

"Oi, Hagrid!" Ron called as he knocked on the door. Hagrid practically ripped the door off its' hinges. 

"Hey! I was wonderin' when you lot'd show up! Thought yeh'd forgotten abou' meh." he said as he practically smashed them in a bear hug. 

The three friends entered the cabin and sat down at Hagrid's table. Fang the boar hound greeted the three by drooling on each of them. 

"So, how've yeh bin? Ain't it amazin': No problems this year! Noffin's tryin' ter kill yeh. None o' that mess! What's with yeh, 'Arry? Yeh miss 'at stuff?" Hagrid asked. 

"He's mad because Lothlorien likes Malfoy." Ron said. 

"Eh?" Hagrid grunted. 

"She does _not_. It's just that stupid Malfoy...I never get a chance to talk to her and finally when she talks to me he has to come on over and ruin everything." Harry said. 

"What do you mean, you never get a chance to talk to her? You've got all day." Hermione said. 

"It's not that simple, Hermione. If I were to just spontaneously start yapping to her every time I saw her, I'd look like a desperate loser. I don't want to talk to her unless I have a good reason...then I wouldn't look so...so...'irst." he said. 

"'Irst?" Hermione raised an eyebrow. 

"I think he's got a point." Ron said. 

"So yeh like the ickle elf princess, eh?" Hagrid asked. 

"I miss the old Harry who didn't worry about these types of things. Now he's like a little zombie. The only thing he can talk about is her. And in that horrible slang you picked up from Sirius! You sound like a moron !" Hermione said. 

"'S like I said befor'. Now 'at noffin's tryin' ter kill 'im, 'e's got the time to worry about these types o' things. So yeh want an excuse ter talk ter 'er, eh? Well 'ow's abou' this? 

I bin plannin' this assignment where a pair of yeh've got ter take care of a baby Crup for a while and hand in a log of yer experiences wit' the thing. 

Maybe I'll add an essay in there somewhere...anyway I can pair you two up an' then yeh'll have an excuse ter talk ter her fer a couple o' months!" Hagrid said as Harry's face lighted up. 

"How corny-Saturday-morning-teen-tv-show cliche`." Hermione muttered. 

"Hagrid, that'd be great!" Harry said jumping out of his seat. 

Harry looked forward to being able to casually talk to Lothlorien since they would be raising a crup together. Ron, Hermione and Hagrid chatted well into the night until Hagrid suggested that it was a bit late and sent them off to the castle.


	9. Over A Pint at the Three Broomsticks

Hullo. This is chapter kyu.

Katie Wisdom, thank you! I needed a reason to keep posting! =)

* * *

The day of the trip to Hogsmeade had finally arrived. Everyone was excited because there was going to be a dragon exhibition. None other than Norbert the Norwegian-Ridgeback, whom Hagrid had won in a card game during Harry's first year, was the main feature. 

Apparently due to his unique upbringing, Norbert was not hostile towards humans and there were to be "Dragon Back Rides" courtesy of him, seven sickles a go. Hagrid was nearly bursting with joy, telling everyone he was Norbert's "Mommy."

By the time the three friends had finished making their usual rounds at the stores, it was dark. Harry and Hermione decided to pay Norbert a visit. Ron didn't want to go, as the last time he'd seen the dragon, it'd taken a nasty bite at his hand that landed him in the hospital wing for some time. 

"Are you sure you don't want to come, Ron?" Harry asked.

"Damn straight. I think I'll just have m'self a pint of butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks. You guys just come back in one piece." Ron replied. The friends said their good-byes and headed in opposite directions. 

"Oi, Ron!" Lothlorien called as Ron entered the Three Broomsticks. She was sitting at a tiny table in the corner nearest the pantry by herself.

"Hey there." Ron replied. He ordered a butterbeer at the bar and then joined Lothlorien. 

"What's poppin'? Why you here by yourtelf?" Ron asked in a half teasing manner.

"Why are _you_ here by yourtelf? Where're the other two Musketeers?" Lothlorien asked.

"Hmph! They're off to mess wit' some schizophrenic dragon...Not my forte." Ron said quietly. Lothlorien smiled. 

"This stuff is good." she said after she sipped her butterbeer. 

"Ah, I know! One time I drank a whole tankard in a day. I was so hyper, m' mum kicked me outta the house and told me to run it off. Whatcha been up to?" he asked. 

"Nothing much. Checked out the local stores. Read a bit in that Flourish and Blotts...have you got a brother named Charlie?" Lothlorien asked. 

"Yeah. What'dcha see his book, _"Dragons At Dawn"_?" Ron asked. 

"Yeah. Then I went to the apothecary, the sweetshop, the antique shop and the wand shop. I like this little town. It's nice." she said merrily. 

"So...what's with you and Hermione?" she asked with a sly looking smile. 

"Nothing! I knew you knew about that since that day in Divination! Never did get to ask you about it. Actually - I been looking for some - ehem - female insight to my situation. You wanna help me out here?" Ron asked.

"Sure!" Lothlorien laughed. 

"So, what's your deal? You got some 'cool tonic' or somethin'? I s'pose it'd take a miracle to get anyone to like a dweeby lookin' git like me." Ron said. 

"See now there's your first problem, Ron! Why would you say something like that? You ought to have more confidence in yourself. And for your information, you're not dweeby looking. I think you're very cute," 

Ron blushed. 

"But you're still a git." Lothlorien laughed. "Anyway, looks aren't everything. They aren't much at all if you ask me." she continued seriously. 

"'Ey, what are you tryin' to say?" Ron asked, pretending to be offended. 

"I'm serious, Ron. All that rubbish is little kid stuff..._'eew, he's cute...' _Honestly!" Lothlorien tutted. 

"So what do I do? You don't know how confusing this all is. I want to tell her so badly...but then I worry about how things will change when I do. 

Especially if she doesn't like me back, you know? Ugh...I pray I don't get that stupid '_but we've already got something special! We're friends, I see you like a brother...'_ crap. 

I swear I'll shoot myself if I'm ever given that load." He said, rolling his eyes as Lothlorien laughed. 

"Before I start lecturing you, I need to know what you've got in mind." she said. Ron took a minute. 

"Well...I suppose I been planning on asking her to the Yule Ball and telling her then if I hadn't managed to spit it out by that time...then there'd be tons of butterbeer to quell me if things don't go so well..." he trailed off, looking into space. 

Two days before the trip, the announcements for the Yule Ball were made. The Three Broomsticks itself was packed with nervous boys and doofy acting girls asking each other to the Ball. 

"Bah!" Lothlorien ejaculated. 

"What?" Ron asked. 

"That's too cliche! If Hermione has even the least little bit of a slight suspicion that you like her, she'll be expecting you to ask her to the Ball and then during the whole thing she'll be waiting for you confess about your long, tortured days of writing poetry about her and wishing she were your wife. 

Then if things don't happen the way she imagined they would...just everything will be ruined, it's horrible. Throw it out the window, it'll never work!" Ron stared at Lothlorien, looking like he was afraid she'd bite his head off. 

"She doesn't know you like her does she...?" Lothlorien asked as if it were the most important question in the world. Ron stared at his feet and scratched his head. 

"I don't think so...no. I mean, during fourth year...but I think she thinks.....Oh, I don't know! Why? Should I tell her A.S.A.P.?" Ron asked, distressed.

"NO! Girls don't like you if they know you like them!" she replied as if it was the obvious answer. 

"Uh...they don't?" Ron asked. 

"Ofcourse not! Since you're not sure whether she suspects anything we've got to kill the possibility...Act like you're head over heels about some girl...ask her to the Ball and then make a big deal about it. Not too big, though. Hermione's not stupid, or else we needn't be here. 

If she's been thinking that you kind of have a thing for her all along, and she finds out you like someone else, she'll feel bad that she was gassed up for so long for no reason and she'll want you to like her.

Ooh! Ooh! This is what you do! After you ask someone, don't just tell Hermione. Look all happy and giggly and then she'll _ask _you what it's all about and _then_ you tell her how the girl that you've liked for the longest time, uh...emphasize longest, has said she'll go to the dance with you. Then you float away looking all jolly. It'll drive her mad." Lothlorien smiled mischievously, pleased with her brilliant scheme. 

Ron turned it over in his mind a few times and decided it was for the best, but he was still confused. "Aww, damn this is hard work!" he thought aloud. 

"When the time for action comes, you'll feel fine. Just find someone convincing to ask to the ball. Don't take Pansy Parkinson, for instance." Lothlorien said. Ron scratched his head.

"Umm...will you go with me?" he asked. 

"Can't. I'm already going with Draco." she replied. 

"Who's that?" Ron asked. 

"Malfoy." Lothlorien replied. 

"Oh, Malfoy...forgot his name wa...Malfoy?! Awww, gees! You're going with that git?" Ron was thinking about Harry and how that news would make him go mad. 

"He's not a git. He's my friend" she said, sipping her butter beer. 

"Awww...,' Ron continued. "What do you see in that guy? He's the biggest pain in the ass! All he does is make fun of people!" Ron said, sounding like a mother who was mourning her daughter's poor taste. 

"I like him because he isn't phony. If he were to try to pretend that he isn't the way he is around me, that would've shown lack of confidence. See how important confidence is? But no, he just acts as he would if he were with anybody else." Lothlorien said, happy that one of her points had been proven. 

"But don't you think he's so annoying? Always thinking he's better than everyone else, and all." Ron said, trying to convince Lothlorien that she hated Malfoy. 

"It's not like all he does all day is make fun of people." she said. 

"Nah, not all day. Only like half of it." Ron said sarcastically. 

"Well it's really not his fault. His parents are snobs - he was raised that way. My parents tried to raise me that way too." she said, half mumbling it to herself. 

"Oh? Pray-tell, what is this 'tried' business?" Ron asked, anticipating a story. 

"Well, as far back as I can remember they were always trying to instill in my head that I'm better than other people. Actually, mainly Papa. Mother just always sits around looking miserable...anyway Papa would always tell me how the Royal Family is superior and that those of the lower classes are unworthy and blah, blah, blah. 

Until I was four I had never even seen a person from a lower class. Papa wouldn't allow it. I always had to play tea-time with my boring, prissy cousins...then one day as I was playing with the flowers in the court yard, the jester's son came along. 

My back was turned to him and I didn't know he was there. The first thing he did was sneak up on me and prod me in the head. I was so surprised I fell into the water fountain and he laughed so hard he began to gasp for breath, throwing himself around on the grass and pointing at me. 

So then I started laughing too and then we played tag, and hide-and-seek, make the royal guards go seek their hiding swords, dysfunctional tea-time...I was enjoying myself for the first time ever. Then Papa found out and tried to get rid of Puck - that's my friend's name, KePuck Galindrel - and I wouldn't have it. 

Then he gave me another stupid lecture about all that class rubbish. That just made things worse. All that time my father was telling me to keep away from lower-classed people, but the first lower class person I met turned out to be the first person I ever really liked! 

I knew Papa was full of it since I was four! Anyway, KePuck and I have been best friends ever since." Lothlorien finished, smiling. 

"Hmph! Touching.....So Malfoy has yet to meet the magic muggle that will prove to him that his parents have raised him wrong? Come on, now, Lo, he's ignorant!" Ron said. 

"Leave him alone. Nobody's perfect. If everyone were the same life wouldn't be life, now would it? Anyhow, let's get back to this Hermione business..." she said. 

"So when do I break the news to her? During the last dance at the Ball I could just...." 

"CLICHE! CLICHE!" Lothlorien interrupted. "During the Ball she'll be imagining you miraculously seeing the light and realizing she is the one you want. You've got to dish out the bull a little longer. 

Get her to the point of hopelessness. I say New Year's Eve seems a fine time. Nice and festive and spontaneous!" she smiled. 

"Mmm. So then what do I say?" he asked. 

"Well I'm not going to program you, Ron. Your own words are your best bet. Sure you may want to get a basic outline of what you're going to say. Mind you, what _you're_ going to say, not what _Happenin' Quotes for Dummies _is going to say. 

Just a basic outline, not the whole speech. Even stupid girls can tell when you're rehearsing lines to them. It's annoying as hell, so don't do it. 

Spon-tin-a-it-y. Those are going to be your five favorite words. And that's all I have to say about that!" Lothlorien finished. 

She and Ron continued talking well into the night. Harry and Hermione showed up at about 11 p.m. Everything had gone well with Norbert - except that he didn't remember Hagrid, and quite frankly didn't want anything to do with him, sadly.

* * *


	10. Of Love and Quidditch

Chapter 10

The Hogsmeade trip lasted for three days. On the last day, the three friends paid Sirius a visit. The following Tuesday, Hagrid had commenced the Crup assignment. Harry had finally started to talk to Lothlorien regularly and they became friends. 

Their Crup, which they had named Sam, was very social for one of his kind. The two enjoyed spending time with him. Harry would walk him and play with him during the day, and Lothlorien took the more difficult job of caring for him at night. 

She would give him his evening scrub-down, as Crups tend to attract filth, attend to him every time he wailed during the night, and wake up early to prepare his breakfast.

Ron, on the other hand, received Lavender Brown as a partner and their crup seemed to have homicidal tendencies. Lavender wasn't as merciful as Lothlorien, and she made Ron take "Bitey," as they called her, during the nights. 

She whole-heartedly refused any compromises. Bitey wouldn't wake Ron up in the middle of the night - what she would do was much worse. She would silently make her own meals out of the boys' trunks, much to Ron's distress. 

Seamus agreed to let Bitey mark his trunk as her territory, because when Ron tried to get her away from it, she nearly ripped his arms off. All the while everybody was training frantically for the start of the Quidditch season, which was drawing ever nearer. 

The first game was scheduled to be Gryffindor versus Slytherin, and Harry was proving himself to be a very able, and very tough, captain. Lothlorien and Professor Snape's review book was coming along smoothly as well. 

Professor Snape was overjoyed because he hoped to gain serious recognition his book's completion. He hid his joy well, though. During potions classes he was stricter than ever - he didn't want his students to think anything could possibly make him go soft.

* * *

At 3 A.M. on the morning of the day of the Quidditch match, Harry woke up. Everyone else in Gryffindor tower was still asleep so Harry crept out silently. He walked out of the castle onto the mist covered school grounds. 

It was cold and dark outside. Harry entered his team's locker room, opened his locker, took out his scarlet Quidditch robes and carefully pressed them till they were smooth as honey. 

Then, at the enchanted blackboard that was used for game plans, Harry watched as the plan he and his team had discussed at their last practice was reenacted by a floating piece of chalk. 

"Don't fall for feints!" Harry repeated to himself. He drank three cans of Red Broom Energy Drink, ran five laps around the large school grounds, did one hundred military style push - ups, and ran another five laps around the grounds. It was about thirty degrees outside but Harry was sweating. 

He then charmed a pair of Bludgers so that they would seek him out mercilessly while he searched for the snitch, speeding around on his Firebolt 2002. He was pumped. 

He then polished his broom. After that he went into the castle to take a bath and have a quick breakfast. It was finally 7 A.M. Harry retreated into the shadows near the entrance of the Great Hall and waited for his team. Were they going to wake up at 7 A.M sharp, like he ordered? 

Katie Bell was the first to head downstairs at 7:05, quickly followed by Seamus and Ginny. Tank came at down at 7:23 with Kendo and Ron came down at 7:45. Harry watched his team for a while. 

They were all chattering and they didn't look serious enough to him. He was already fully prepared - he was wearing his robes, his special contact lenses and he had his broom in his left hand. He silently walked to the head of the Gryffindor table, without anybody noticing, just as he intended. 

"So..." he said in a Snape-ish manner. The team fell silent and immediately jumped to their feet. 

"Good morning, Sir!" They said in unison. 

"So..."Harry repeated. "Kendo feels he can perform well without eating breakfast, he does..."Harry said, standing behind the fifth year chaser. 

"No, sir...uh..." 

"I don't want to hear it! Sit yourself down and eat that breakfast quick! You have fifteen minutes before warm up! Infact, since you took twenty three minutes for yourself earlier, why don't you finish that plate in five? Katie, Ginny, Seamus...Thank you for coming down on time. You would have done well to be just a minute sooner but I'll let it slip just this once. 

Fletcher! 7:23? I don't think you were polishing your broom during that time. Go outside and do a couple of laps around the grounds. I'll be watching." Tank Fletcher nodded respectfully to his captain and huffed himself out the castle. 

"And Ron....I can't believe you're capable of such things! Totally disregarding the importance of a game versus Slytherin and...I'm at a loss for words. At ease, team." Harry sighed and walked off. 

The team sat down and rushedly finished their breakfast. Quidditch was very, very important to Harry Potter.

* * *

"Ladies and Gentewmen, good afternoon and welcome to the first Quidditch game of the school year!" the American exchange student, Coye Holloway, and new commentator, announced. 

"We'd like to thank fifth - year Ravenclaw, Sonny Abbati, for confessing that he was the student responsible for sabotaging Slytherin's brooms during the previous Quidditch season. Sonny, we appreciate the sacrifice you made for us." 

The whole crowd cheered - the Slytherins were happy to know that Sonny was being punished for his little trick. 

"And now without further a due, I present to yall, house cup champions for four consecutive years.....THE GRYFFINDORS!!!" Coye had requested that he be allowed to play backround music during instances such as introduction, intermission and scoring, like it was in baseball. 

"Number twenty - one, Genji Kendo, Chaser!" Kendo ran onto the field as the non- Slytherins cheered. 

"Introducing number fifty - eight, Seamus Finnigan, Chaser!" Seamus ran out beaming and stood next to Kendo. 

"Seven year veteran, and now Assistant Captain, number two, Katieeee Bell!" Coye shouted. Whoever didn't know she was a Chaser was either a moron or a first year. 

"Introducing Gryffindor's two new Beaters...number twenty - one, Ron Weasley and number twenty - eight, Ginny Weasley!" The two Weasleys joined the line of Gryffindors to a loud round of applause. 

Ron waved at Hermione, who was sitting in the stands wrapped in a blanket, and she winked back at him. "Lucky my cheeks are already red from this blasted cold!" Ron thought. 

"Introducing number fourteen, Thaddeus "Tank" Fletcher, Keeper!" Tank "ran" to the line but he still took a good minute to get there. 

"Annnnnd, ladies and gentewmen, please give a warm round of applause to Gryffindor's new captain, six year veteran, number sixtyyy - siiix, Harrrrryyy Potter, Seeker!" Coye announced, heartily. 

The crowd clapped and hooted as Harry took his place in front of his team to the loud rap song that Coye chose as Gryffindor's theme. 

"I give you the 2002 - 2003 Gryffindors!.....And now, ladies and gentewmen, welcome theee Slytherins! Number five, Francine Wellington, Chaser!" 

"Ah, she's not so great." Harry thought, as he remembered some of Francine's previous performances. 

"Introducing number seven, a first year, Cornflowerrr Jones!" Cornflower ran onto the field to a good bit of applause. 

"And another first year, introducing number twelve, Angelica Morgendorfer, Chaser!" Harry frowned. 

"Hmph. They've chosen their team quite well..." he thought. 

"And give these five year veterans a hand, ladies and gentewmen, numbers forty - three and forty - five, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle, the Beaters!" Coye announced. 

All the students who played for their house team in the crowd booed. They had all been whacked a good few times by a flaming bludger, courtesy of either of the two Slytherin Beaters. 

"Give a hand to five year vet, now assistant captain, number sixty - eight, Maaaalfoy, Seeker!" All the Gryffindors who knew Malfoy personally booed. 

"And ladies and gentewmen...amazing...nine year veteran, number seventy - two, Marcus Flint, Captain and Keeper! Give a hand to the 2002 - 2003 Slytherin Quidditch team!" 

When the cheers died down, Madam Hooch told the captains to shake hands. Flint thought he would be cute and squeeze Harry's hand till it hurt but Harry's grip was firmer. 

Harry wasn't paying attention to Flint...he was glaring at Malfoy and imagining he was crushing his... 

"Ladies and Gentlemen, mount your brooms!" madam Hooch called. At the sound of the whistle the two teams shot up into the air. 

"And the quaffle is out there..." Harry watched as Slytherin's new chasers whizzed around. He had to admit to himself that they were skilled flyers. 

The Grffindors were so well prepared and the Slytherins were so talented that the game seemed deadlocked to the crowd. 

The Chasers chased eachother and the quaffle while the beaters beamed bludgers around for about forty five minutes before the first goal was scored by Slytherin. Malfoy burst out laughing. 

"You must be some captain, Potter. Your team can't even handle little Cornflower and Angelica! And this is their first game!" 

"I said it before and I'll say it again, Malfoy. At least I don't have to pay to be on my team." Harry said. Malfoy gave a sarcastic smile and flew off to the opposite side of the field. 

"And Gyrffindor is in possession...it's number two, Bell going for the goal....Ooh! Saved by Flint!" Coye said as the Gyffindors booed. 

"Slytherin in possession. Score by Jones!" The Slytherins stood and cheered for their new chasers. Tank Fletcher was clutching his chest - he was out of breath from trying to block Slytherin from scoring. 

"Damn it, Harry, they're just too quick!" Katie Bell complained as she swooped by Harry who could see no sign of the snitch. 

Even though Slytherin was twenty points in the lead the Gryffindors had not lost one bit of their spirit. They all felt that it was still anyone's game - Harry never missed the snitch unless he was being threatened by death - a reasonable excuse, which had happened twice. Goal after goal, after goal, the Gryffindors remained upbeat. 

"Number twenty - one in possession...he's in there...SCORE BY GENJI KENDO!!! Slytherin in the lead, eighty to ten. Maybe Gyffindor can make a recovery!" Coye announced. 

"You guys can still do it! I'll sit here until tomorrow if that's how long it takes you to come into the lead!" Dean Thomas shouted. 

"You see I think the snitch is just so stupid...a skilled team, like ours, can play hard until the cows come home but still have to suffer defeat to a bunch of losers, like the Gryffindors, because one loon catches the stupid snitch. I think they should either get rid of it, or cut down the amount of points it's worth, because it just ruins the game. 

Think of it, a bunch of no skill losers, with absolutely _no skill _can win the cup just because they catch the snitch. They can do nothing during the entire game but still win. It makes Quidditch look stupid, don't you think, Professor?" Sean Durbeyfield complained to Professor Snape. 

"Uh-huh." Snape replied quietly. He was staring at Lothlorien - she was wearing green robes and waving the Slytherin banner. 

She had promised Malfoy that she would cheer for him during his first game. He said it would give him good luck during the entire season. 

"SCORE BY NUMBER TWO! KATIE BELL!" Coye announced. 

The Gryffindors in the crowd stood and waved their banners frantically. 

"I KNEW YOU WOULD DO THIS! I SAID SO! Didn't I say so?" Colin Creevey said to his brother, as he waved his Gryffindor banner in a seventh year Slytherin's face.

"SCORE BY NUMBER FIFTY - EIGHT!"

"SCORE BY BELL!"

  
"SCORE!!!"

The Gryffindors has indeed made a recovery. The score was ninety to fifty, Slytherin was still winning. Professor McGonagall had her fingers crossed and Harry was proud of his team for not losing luster in the first hour when Slytherin was scoring consecutively.

He was searching right and left for the snitch but it was no where in sight and the game was going on its fourth hour. 

"I'm starting to get tired." Ron muttered to himself. Kendo had the quaffle and was approaching Slytherin's posts when he was swept off his broom by a bludger. The crowd started to get ornery. 

"That should have been a penalty!" Dean shouted. 

"But isn't the whole purpose of a beater to knock opposing players off their brooms?" Hermione asked. 

"So what? It's not supposed to happen to a Gryffindor!" Dean barked. 

"Heh, I knew Weasley was good for nothing! He was nowhere near Crabbe when he launched that bludger! And his stupid sister..." Malfoy stopped talking. 

He saw a smile spread slowly across Harry's face, which only meant one thing - he had spotted the snitch. Malfoy looked past Harry and he saw it too. By then the whole crowd knew they had seen the snitch and they were on the edges of their seats. 

The two teams froze as they watched their seekers dive after the snitch. Harry was so happy...nothing, not even Slytherin's new super - chasers could stop Gryffindor from winning. But then...

"Get it, Draco!" Harry heard a sweet and familiar voice shout. He looked for it's source and then he froze dead in the air. He saw Lothlorien wearing the Slytherin colors and waving the Slytherin banner. 

The object of his affection was cheering on his arch nemesis. It was too much for him. Harry didn't notice how low the temperature was during the entire game but now he felt unbearably cold. 

He stared blankly at Lothlorien as she cheered. Malfoy had caught the snitch, Slytherin had won...but all that was going through Harry's brain was the sight of Lothlorien. 

The Gryffindors forlornly flew to the ground and dragged themselves to their locker room, and Harry was still frozen in the spot where he had halted. Malfoy now came into sight...Lothlorien was jumping up and down and Harry watched as her lips moved...she was congratulating Malfoy as he ran to her...he picked her up and continued running toward the castle...the last glimpse Harry caught of the two was Lothlorien kissing Malfoy on the cheek. 

The Quidditch field and the stands were now empty, Harry was the only person out there. All of a sudden his face became very red and he had on an expression that could curdle milk, as if his brain just registered everything that had happened. 

He zoomed down to the Gryffindor locker room and slammed a locker door that was in his way so hard that it broke. ( You must remember the three cans of Red Broom energy drink.) 

His team stopped what they were doing - he had startled them. Harry glowered at them for a minute. His eyes were burning with hatred for Malfoy. His half worried, half scared team watched as he picked up a bludger that was on the ground and beamed it through a window, almost ripping Kendo's head off his shoulders. 

He then went buck-wild on the locker that was nearest to him. He kicked it until its door fell off and then he used the door to break the remaining locker room windows. He had finally quelled his anger enough so that he could speak audibly to his team. 

"Fletcher. During a game, each Gryffindor is supposed to be worrying about doing his or her job the right damn way, not about whether or not they've lost their keeper to a heart attack. Drop and give me fifty!" Harry ordered. He then turned and punched another locker door. 

"Hermione is going to work out a diet for you. I want to see you getting at least an hour of exercise every damn day. Bell, Kendo, Finnigan." Harry said turning to the three. 

"Put these on and do five laps around the school grounds." And he threw them each a backpack that was filled with twenty pounds of rocks. "Weasleys. Press. Don't stop 'till you feel your arms burning off." Harry said, tossing them weights. 

"This is just the beginning, mind you. Next week those weights'll be twenty pounds each, Fletcher'll do two hours of exercise and the chasers'll be running ten laps." 

With that and a final punch at a locker door, Harry left.

* * *


	11. The Misty Mountains of Hogwarts

Hi, everybody!!! Long time no see =)

This here is the 11th chapter!

The Wipers are cool!

* Chapter 11 *

Neville Longbottom was sneaking around in the dead of night. He stumbled into the Slytherin common room, knocking over a small table. 

"Oops." he said quietly as he fidgeted with something in his pocket. He crept into the room where Malfoy was sleeping and approached his bed.

"Heh heh heh." he snickered as he pulled a can of Crup grub from his pocket. Something fell from Neville's hand and clinked onto the stone floor, without Neville noticing. 

He gently un-tucked Malfoy and began to smother the Crup grub over his body. He looked at Malfoy for a second and began to snicker. Then he whistled. 

Three crups emerged from under Crabbe's bed and they jumped on Malfoy, biting and scratching him while trying to eat the grub. Neville snickered and left the room. As he exited the Slytherin common room he heard Malfoy scream.

* * * 

The next morning, everyone was talking (laughing) about Malfoy's little incident. Surprisingly Malfoy had survived the attack, with all his limbs intact at that. But even more surprisingly, Malfoy did not make one complaint about it. 

He wasn't trying to sue or fire Hagrid for bestowing blood thirsty crups upon helpless students, nor was he even worried about finding out who had snuck into his room and covered him in smelly crup food. He seemed right jolly that morning, and he had a funny looking grin on his face.

"What is that idiot smiling about?" Harry muttered, staring hatefully at Malfoy. 

"He probably liked being licked all over." Ron laughed as he held Hermione's wand over her head. 

"Give it, already!" she half laughed. 

"Bot I ahm geefing it too you, my Herm - on- ninny." Ron said, imitating Viktor Krum. They were in Professor Binns' history class and Ron was making fun of Krum, who had just sent Hermione an owl in which he suggested they "go out sometime." 

"Catch, Harry!" Ron said, tossing Hermione's wand over. 

Harry wasn't paying attention and the wand just bounced off his head and onto the floor. Hermione quickly snatched it up. 

"Hey, Har', forget about Malfoy. You've been grimacing like a grumpy old man for too long. Loosen up." Ron said. 

"I don't know...something's definitely wrong here." Harry said.. 

"Are you serious, Harry? You really have a feeling something's up?" Hermione asked. Harry nodded. 

"Come on, you guys. This is not an episode of Scooby-Doo, you know? Let whatever's happening happen, and let the adults worry about fixing things." Ron said. 

With that he threw a crumpled piece of paper at Malfoy's head. After class Harry pulled Ron and Hermione into an empty classroom and shut the door. 

"Just listen to me for a second...during the past week strange things have been going on at night, right? 

Malfoy was mysteriously covered in crup food, the other night Professor Snape's office was trashed, Ron, your box of chocolate frogs is missing...some other kids who said they had some kind of candy in their trunks were robbed too. 

Put it all together...Malfoy, Snape, candy..." 

"And you get a really bad porno." Ron grimaced. Hermione sucked her teeth.

"You're so stupid, Ron. Are you saying Neville did it, Harry?" she asked. 

"Exactly." Harry said, happy that Hermione came to the same conclusion he had. 

"Oh, please. Neville wouldn't have the nerve to stay up past his bed time, let alone go sneaking around the castle." Ron said. 

"It would take something amazing to get Neville to do all that wouldn't it? Now let's say he accidentally left that something behind at his last crime scene and his victim found it. He'd be an awfully happy victim, eh?" Harry finished. 

"Harry, you're a genius!" Hermione said. 

"Let's go find Neville." Harry said, holding the door open for his two friends. 

"How the hell do you figure this crap out?" Ron asked, frowning.

They headed for Filch's office. Harry opened the door slowly and peaked in. He had seen Filch with Mrs. Norris working inside a classroom near the library but he still wanted to make sure the coast was clear. 

"It's empty. Let's go." he said. The three friends entered the dungeon like office of Argus Filch. 

"Neville! Neville...are you in here?" Ron called as he searched the room. 

"Ugh, you morons! You made me forget all about my herbology exam!" Hermione said angrily. 

"You can get in trouble with whoever's teaching your next lesson if you want, but I'm heading back to class." she said slamming the door behind her.

"I don't exactly feel like getting into trouble either." Ron sighed as he plopped down on a pile of books. "Maybe...maybe we're not cut out for this...detective work anymore, Harry." he finished. 

"I'm not worried about class not one bit." Harry replied, opening the closet doors. "But...you do what you think is best, Ron." 

"Alright, I'm outta here. May the force be with you." Ron said. He got up and left. 

"Where the hell would Neville be?" Harry thought. He looked over at Filch's stash of things-students-should-not-have-had-with-them-at-school he had confiscated over the years. 

"I might as well..." Harry said as he walked over to the open cabinet. He rumaged through the mess of things, many of which were Fred and George Weasley's fake wands and trick candies. 

"These things were great." He laughed, throwing down a Ton-tongue toffee. "Maybe I'll find something of Dad's." he thought. Finding nothing interesting in the opened portion, Harry went on to open a small side drawer of the cabinet.

It was full of tiny things like action figures, giga pets and eccentric hair clips. Harry saw something sparkle from under super man's arm. He untangled the mass of toys and saw that the sparkling thing was a beautiful ring. He picked it up and examined it.

It had a beautiful and delicate design of tiny trees and hills and on the inside there was some kind of inscription of strange curvy letters that were completely foreign to Harry. He unconsciously slipped the ring onto his finger and continued to search Filch's stash. 

"Who's in here?!" Filch burst in. Harry dropped the frilly cape he had in his hand and panicked. "Who's in here? If it was you who made this mess, Longbottom, you won't be getting dinner for a week!" Filch hollered as he entered the room Harry was in. He was now staring right at Harry. 

Harry was formulating a good lie to tell Filch in explanation for his being there but Filch walked right through him and proceeded to search his closets.

"Come out already! The longer you make me search for you the worse your punishment'll be when I find you" he said. Harry couldn't help but gasp. 

__

"Filch walked right through me!" he thought. 

"I heard that!" Filch turned and walked back into the ante-room, Mrs. Norris speeding behind him. Harry just noticed that Mrs. Norris couldn't even smell him. He finally gained enough composure to get out Filch's office and he ran for Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. Harry's heart was racing. 

"Am I dead? Filch _walked_ through me!" he blurted out. He then realized that he was wearing the beautiful ring he saw in the cabinet drawer. 

"How did this thing get here?" he asked himself as he took it off. He sat on a toilet and took a few minutes to reflect. 

"Okay, I must have put the ring on without even realizing it. Maybe it's what made me...do whatever it is I did..." Harry thought as he slipped it back onto his finger. He then tried to walk through the stall door.

"Ouch!" he said, rubbing his nose. He was still whole. He looked at his watch and realized it was time for dinner and that he was hungry. He put the ring deep into a pocket that was on the inside of his robes, zipped it shut and walked down to the Great Hall.

"So what happened, Harry?" Ron asked as Harry sat next to him. 

"Nothing." Harry lied. "I just went through Filch's cabinets and found a bunch of the twins' fake wands." 

Ron began to tell Harry about how Seamus was making him laugh during charms class, but Harry was staring at Malfoy. He didn't have that stupid grin on his face anymore. He looked miserable, infact.

"Could it be that this was Neville's amazing thing?" Harry asked himself. 

Meanwhile Lothlorien was walking up to her room. She went inside, closed the door and put her books down. Then something suddenly jumped on her.

"Mommy!" it said, happily. She squealed as she dashed backward. 

"SAM?" she gasped. Something had happened to Sam. He wasn't exactly a crup anymore. Lothlorien turned red and Puck appeared, sitting at a desk with a pen in his mouth.

"What?" he whined. 

"What did you do to Sammy?" Lothlorien asked, visibly agitated.

"Oh, that...heh, um...I was trying to recopy my homework...cause it was sloppy...and I was too lazy to do it by hand...and, well...Sam jumped in the way...and he..."

"He turned half Elv because you were trying to recopy your homework? You need to clear out your mind badly. Anyway, you ought to be more careful when you use magic over here, dumb ass!" Lothlorien scolded. Sam was growling at Puck.

"Um...I can try to change him back if that's what you want..." Puck said. Sam dashed behind Lothlorien. 

"Just...go." she said. "A'right." Puck shrugged and he and his desk disappeared. 

"You won't let that guy change me, will you, Mommy?" Sam asked, staring at Lothlorien with his big amber eyes. He spoke Quenya. He was now half crup half Elv, a wolf-boy, to put it clearly...he could walk on two legs, talk and he even had magic. 

"No, sweetie." she replied. She couldn't help falling in love with the new Sam - he was so adorable! And he thought she was his Mommy. 

"Um...you should put on some clothes, Sammy." Lothlorien said and she magicked some clothes on him. He jumped up and licked her on the face.

"No, Sammy! Now that you're a boy...you can't go licking people like that anymore..." she said. He then scratched his neck with his right leg. 

"You mustn't do that either, baby. We have to teach you to be a right and proper Elv." she said. Then she remembered Harry and that they were supposed to be graded for taking care of Sam. 

"Come on." she said taking his hand. They headed to the common room. Harry was sitting at a table near the fire place reading his Charms textbook.

"Daddy!" Sam yelped as he jumped on Harry. Harry froze stiff. 

"Um...Sam?" he said, looking up at Lothlorien. She nodded. 

"But...what? How?" he muttered. 

"Um...I was too lazy to recopy my homework manually...so, you know, I used magic, and Sam jumped in the way...and that's what happened." Lothlorien quickly spit out Puck's story. 

"This happened?! Can't you change..." 

"NO!" Lothlorien interrupted. "It'd break his heart if he heard his Daddy say he wanted to change him back." Lothlorien whispered in Harry's ear as Sam sniffed Harry's bag. 

"Well, we'll just have to tell Hagrid." Harry said, standing up. The two went off to Hagrid's cabin.

* * *

Screams rang out through the night. People were running out of the forest and then someone burst out laughing. It was an annoying laugh. It sounded more mischievous than evil. A short but lanky boy with long white hair was on the ground clutching his stomach. He was laughing so hard he was in pain. 

"Look at the fools run! I'll have those Hogwarts kids crying for their mothers." he said. He then sat on the ground and looked at the stars with a pensive expression on his face. 

"Did you say Hogwarts?" A low, evil sounding voice hissed. 

"What? Who said that?" the boy asked. An old man then struggled to his feet. He was crouching, supporting himself with his hand on his knee. He turned to face the boy. Half of his face was rotting. 

"What the devil are you?" the boy asked. The old man opened his mouth and out of it came a strange, purplish, ghost like mist. When it emerged completely, the old man corpse fell dead on the forest ground. 

"Ahh, a poe! Lovely night for possessing dead bodies, eh?" the boy said, getting to his feet. The poe gasped. 

"You! You're.....So the children of the _Ainulindale_ still exist..." the poe said, amazement in his tone. 

"Ofcourse we do. We're immortal, moron." the boy replied. 

"Yes, ofcourse. Forgive my ignorance, Lord _Edhel_. Did you say Hogwarts?" he asked again. 

"Yes I did. So?" the boy asked. 

"We must talk for a moment, Lord _Edhel_..."

Harry woke up. "Voldemort!" he blurted out. "He...he's some kind of ghost...a poe? That's what that guy called him. That guy...there was something familiar about him. God, my head hurts..." Harry thought, rubbing his forehead into his palm. 

"Ugh! Why can't I just have a normal life! There's always something going on...stupid Voldemort who doesn't die, all these weird dreams, my crup turned into an Elf, just...what the devil does this all mean?!" Harry said a little loudly. 

"It means you're going to have a very busy year." said a little voice from above Harry. 

"Wha...?" Harry turned and saw a little red man sitting cross legged in mid air. 

"Who the hell are you?" Harry gasped, jumping out his bed. The little man floated down onto Harry's bed. 

"My name's Kyubu and your room mates are looking at you." Harry turned and saw Ron, Seamus and Dean, each sitting up in his bed staring at him.

"Harry, who are you talking to?" Ron asked, rubbing his eyes. 

"Ugh, are you blind?" Harry yelled, pointing to Kyubu... but he wasn't there. 

"Nobody! Go back to bed!" Harry then barked. He jumped back into his bed and pulled his sheets over his head 

"I hate my life." Harry thought 


End file.
